Battery lifter



Oct. 23, 1962 c. A. SUMTER BATTERY LIFTER Filed May 22, 1961 5. H 2 m m4 6 m m d M ;v u F 5. A R w "w m 1 5 E y w E w. mmwM/ United StatesPatent 3,059,953 BATTERY LWTER (Ihester A. Sumter, Rte. 11, Knoxville18, Tenn. Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,667 Ciaims. (Cl. 294-) Thisinvention relates to improvements in a carrier adapted for the liftingand transportation of storage batteries and the like.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improvedbattery carrier having means to facilitate expeditious applicationdirectly upon the terminal posts of the storage battery in order that itcan be lifted and transported with ease and without possibility ofslipping from the posts.

In my Patent 2,435,549, I have shown a battery carrier having thegeneral characteristics of the present battery carrier. The presentcarrier is less expensive to make and just as durable, including alifting member which may be more easily operated to adjust it lengthwiseof the supporting handle.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specificationwherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved battery carrier.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the application of the improvedbattery carrier upon a conventional three cell battery.

FIGURE 3 is a view showing the association of a tong type lifting memberof the carrier; in full lines showing its application to a handle and indot and dash lines showing how the lifting member can be opened toadjust it lengthwise of the handle.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the carrier handle at oneend, partly in section, and showing another lifting member attached tothe handle.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are cross sectional views taken substantially on therespective lines 55 and 66 of FIGURE 1.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only aprefer-red embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generallydesignate the improved battery carrier. It is adapted to be attached toeither short batteries B of the three cell type, or longer batteries oftwelve cells, etc.

The improved battery carrier A preferably comprises an elongated member10 which may be conveniently referred to as the handle, preferablyformed of wood although not limited to such material. In cross sectionit is square or polygonal although if desired it may be suitably shapedto conform to the hand of the user. The handle it) is provided with aseries of transverse openings 11 therein which are relatively spacedtherealong. The openings are transversely horizontal and extend fromside to side of the handle it The carrier A at one end of the elongatedsupporting member 12 has a fixed terminal post attaching lifting member20. Preferably it is made of wire and includes a post inserting loopedportion provided with side strands or portions 22 and 23 which in sideelevation at their portions extending beyond the handle are ratherV-shaped, as shown in FIGURE 4. The sides 22 and 23 are connected by abight portion 24 and they relatively converge to the bight portion 24;the inner edges of the sides 22 and 23 and the b ight 24 are providedwith chisel-type edges 25, such as shown in FIGURE 5. The wire strandportions 22 and 23 of the lifting member 2% extend for a short distancebeneath the handle it} as shown in FIG- URE 4 and then are extendedupwardly in right angled relation at 30 through passageways 31vertically provided in the handle 10, and at their upper ends they arecrimped at 32 to provide heads for holding the lifting member 20 againstmovement or detachment. In other words the member 20 is rigidly fixed onthe handle Ml in the position shown.

A second lifting member 35 is provided, which can be detachably mountedupon the handle 10 and applied in any of the openings 11 longitudinallyof the handle in order to relatively space the lifting members 20 and 35to suit the length of the battery.

The member 35 is of tong-like construction comprising a pair of legs 45and 41 which are relatively movable and which at their outer ends areprovided with convergent portions 42 and 43 terminating in a bight 44which connects them. The inner edges of the bight portions 42 and 43 andbight 44 are sharpened to chisel edges, as shown at 45 in FIGURE 6. Thelegs 40 and 41 remote from the bight 44 are provided with obliquelyangled portions 47 and 48, which cross each other in X shaped relation,and which at their outer ends are provided with parallel attachingportions 49 and 50 respectively having at their inner ends right angledhandle inserting prongs 51 and 52 respectively. The lifting member 35 isformed of wire and the bight 44 resiliently connects the legs 40 and 41in order that the prongs 51 and 52 normally move toward each other andseat in the opposite ends of an opening 11, as shown in full lines inFIGURE 3 of the drawings. However, by pressing the side portions 49 and41 together the bight 44 is stressed in order that the attachingportions 49 and 50 as shown in the dot and dash lines in FIGURE 3 of thedrawings can be moved apart whereby the prongs 51 and 52 will move outof the opening 11 and the lifting member 35 can then be moved to anyposition along the handle 14 for insertion in any of the openings 11, tosuit the spaced relation of the battery terminal posts.

The battery B is provided with a casing structure 70 having cells 71,the end ones of which are provided with terminal posts '72 normallytapered upwardly.

Referring to the use of the battery carrier A, the lifting member 35 isadjusted along the handle to the position which suits the spacing of thebattery terminal posts 72. Since the lifting member 2t) is fixedlyattached to the handle 10, it can be applied to one of the posts 72; thesharp edges 25 of the convergent sides 22 and 23 and bight 24penetrating the posts 72. Thereafter the lifting member 35 is similarlyapplied to the other terminal post. The operator then grasps the handle10 between the lifting members 20 and 35 if the battery is long or theend of the handle if the battery is short as shown in FIGURE 2, andmerely lifts upwardly. The battery carrier is then attached to thebattery and the latter can be moved to a desired location.

The normal resilient action of the lifting member 35 at the bightportion 44 brings the prongs 51 and 52 into position for insertion intoan opening 11, and merely by squeezing the sides 40 and 41 of thelifting member 35 together the operator moves the prongs 51 and 52 outof the opening 11. The lifting member 35 can then be moved to anydesired location along the handle it) for insertion of its prongs intoanother opening 11. The spring action of the sides 40 and 41 normallycauses them to tighten at the bight end upon the battery post.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be madeto the forms of invention herein shown and described, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a carrying appliance for lifting and carrying storage batteriesand the like the combination of an elongated rigid supporting handlehaving a series of relatively spaced transverse openings therein whichopen at opposite sides of the handle, a lifting member connected to oneend of the handle and projecting endwise therefrom and having meansthereon for gripping a battery terminal post, and a second liftingmember having means thereon for releasable connection with any 'of theseries of openings of the handle, said second lifting member comprisinga pair of normally closing spring actuated arms provided at their outerends with a battery post attaching bight and at their inner ends withmeans to releasably engage in the openings of the handle.

2. In a carrying appliance for lifting and carrying storage batteriesand the like the combination of an elongated rigid supporting handlehaving a series of transverse openings therein at relatively spaceddistances along said handle opening at opposite sides of the handle, alifting member rigidly connected at one end to the handle and extendingendwise thereof and comprising a pair of side portions which are rigidlyconnected at their inner ends to the handle and at their outer ends areprovided with a connecting bight portion, said sides adjacent the bightportion converging towards each other and their facing surfaces and theinside of the bight being provided with sharpened post engaging chiseledges, and a second lifting member having relatively movable elongatedside portions with means to releasably engage in the openings atopposite sides of the handle and at the outer ends thereof beingprovided with convergent side portions and a bight connection therefor,the inner surfaces of said side portions and bight of the second memberhaving chisel type terminal engaging edges.

3. In a carrying appliance for lifting and carrying storage batteriesand the like the combination of an elongated rigid supporting handlehaving longitudinally thereof a series of lateral openings at oppositesides thereof, a wire lifting member rigidly connected to the carryingmember at one end of the handle and extending endwise thereof andincluding relatively spaced side portions which converge at their outerends and are connected by a bight portion, the inner sides of saidconvergent portions and inner side of the bight being sharpened forbattery post engagement, and a second lifting member of tong-likeconstruction comprising a pair of leg portions connected together at oneend of the lifting member and at the opposite end being disconnected,said leg portions normally being biased to be urged resiliently towardseach other at their disconnected ends and having means at theirnon-connected ends for engaging in the openings of the handle, theconnected ends of said leg portions being relatively convergent andadapted to engage a battery post for gripping purposes.

4. In a carrying appliance for lifting and carrying storage batteriesand the like, which have upstanding terminal posts thereon, thecombination of an elongated rigid handle having side opening aperturesat spaced intervals along the opposite sides thereof, a lifting memberconnected to the carrying member at one end of the handle having meansthereon to engage and grip a battery post, and a second lifting membercomprising a pair of spring biased elongated side portions which at oneend of each are connected by a bight portion and at the other endsthereof are provided with inturned non-connected ends forming prongs,the biasing of said side portions being such as to normally cause saidprongs to move together, the side portions at the bight portion beingconvergent and adapted to grip a post of the battery with the springbiasing of said arms normally urging the convergent sides of the bightportion into battery post clamping positions.

5. A battery carrying appliance as described in claim 4 in which theinner facing edges ofithe convergent portions are sharpened for bitinginto the material of a battery post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,032,921 Mathias July 16, 1912 1,298,662 Chadwick Apr. 1, 19191,645,839 Westerfield Oct. 18, 1927 1,781,077 Patterson Nov. '11, 19302,428,306 Beagle Sept. 30, 1947 2,435,549 Sumter Feb. 3, 1948 2,522,243Wieland Sept. 12, 1950 2,806,731 Coinstock Sept. 17, 1957

